Pelicans Introduce Rookie Jordan Hawkins
New Orleans, LA - The Orleans Pelicans officially welcomed Jordan Hawkins, a rookie, into their organization on Tuesday. Seated next to Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon, the first-round pick expressed how most of his New Orleans teammates have already reached out to him. "I felt welcomed. I felt the family aspect, and I'm glad to be a part of it," the rookie told the media.
Langdon expressed the excitement New Orleans has to draft a shooter like Hawkins with the No. 14 pick. "The shooting component will be a huge addition to our team this year," Langdon said. "He is a high-IQ player. Obviously, a winner and a big-time competitor. He'll be a really good fit with our group."
The Pelicans required more scoring, which Hawkins quickly addressed. Last season, he led his UConn team to the NCAA National Basketball Championship, shooting 38.8% from 3 on 7.6 attempts per game. New Orleans finished second-to-last in the NBA in three-point attempts last year and consistently finished near the bottom in three-point makes the last few years.
According to Hawkins, participating in the NCAA Tournament and National Championship has been beneficial in preparing him for his NBA
He went on to express his desire to be active in the community, noting his UConn team also had an outreach presence.
It wasn't long for Hawkins to get his first crack at community outreach. He teamed with Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) to surprise local kids with swag bags and lead team basketball drills. The kids ran exercise drills with Hawkins before heading in to show off various artistic designs to the rookie.
Less than a day in New Orleans, Hawkins is already impacting the city. Pelicans fans hope he can make the same quick impression on the basketball court this fall.
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